You can define macros to automate some parts of your screenplay. There are four types of macros: text, date, serial and panel.
Macros are defined using curly brackets: {{macroType macroName = value}}.
NOTE: The macro gets printed out immediately when it’s first encountered. If you want to define the values first and use the macros later, you can put the first definitions in a boneyard at the beginning of your screenplay.
Text Macro
Text macros print out a simple text value.
Date Macro
The easiest way to include the output date in your document. {{date}} prints out the current date in ISO format unless you explicitly provide a custom format. For example:
Result:
Serial Macro
If you need a number that increments every time it is encountered, you can define a serial macro using {{ serial yourVariable = 1 }}
Result:
Use .sub modifier to add sub-serials:
Result:
Panel
{{panel}} is a global serial number for comic book panels which automatically gets back to zero after a top-level section. It’s very similar to {{serial}} but it’s an automatic and global singular value, so you can’t have multiple panel variables.
Result:
Reference Macros
Note: This is an experimental feature available in Beat 2.0.18+
When writing highly researched scripts, you can use reference macros: {{ref This is your reference}}. No equation symbols needed, just type in ref followed by the actual reference.
The references won’t be listed by default, but instead you need to add a shortcode macro anywhere at the document to list out all references: {{references}}.
Result: